Proverbs

Introduction to Proverbs. The book of Proverbs is a comprehensive body of wisdom literature authored by Solomon himself. Solomon writes the book as a father’s counsel to a son who will succeed him. Unfortunately, Solomon did not follow his own wisdom throughout his life, and his son Rehoboam completely ignored his father’s counsel. Nonetheless, in the book of Proverbs, we have the contained instruction of the wisest man in all history except for Jesus Himself.

The name of the book of Proverbs is from the Latin word “Proverbia,” which means “words – put forth.” The Hebrew word “masal” comes from a root word meaning “to rule or have dominion.” With that in mind, we can see the central purpose of the book of Proverbs implied in Proverbs 16:32: He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

The book of Proverbs was written by Solomon, successor to King David. Solomon’s wisdom was phenomenal and well known in the ancient world: [1 Kings 4:30 KJV] 30 And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.

This wisdom was not something he was born with or acquired by learning. Upon becoming king, he prayed to God and received supernatural wisdom. In the life of Solomon, we see the gift of wisdom in operation. Jesus mentioned Solomon’s wisdom in Matt. 12:42 stating of Himself that a greater wisdom than Solomon’s was present in His own person.

In studying the book of Proverbs, we are internalizing the understanding of the wisest man in history other than Jesus Himself. Verse 22 calls us away from the simplicity of mindless immaturity. Verse 23 tells us to receive the reproof not of Solomon but of wisdom herself. Solomon isn’t representing himself but is introducing wisdom as a manifestation of the Spirit of God. What is to be our response? “Turn you at my reproof.” To turn means to repent. Repentance is not merely remorse or reform from fear of punishment. Repentance and turning are about having our darkened minds illuminated by the Spirit of God to the point that we allow change to take place in our hearts, and we become more like our Father God in character and personality.